Resources for Contractors
Prepare for when your workers are exposed to COVID-19.
How to decrease the size of an outbreak on your job site
Collect & compile employee contact information
- Have full names and cell phone numbers for all employees
- Create an easy-to-access document that can be used to contact all workers to direct them to testing & give them quarantine procedures
- Remind everyone of the importance of contact tracing
Select a point person for contact tracing
- Ensure this person has access to and uses the contact information document daily
- Ensure that they’re familiar with the process to follow if there is a suspected COVID-19 case or exposure
- Make sure they know that they can share this information with the CTC and LBOH
Sick leave
- Tell workers in advance what to expect in terms of pay/sick leave while in quarantine
- Because of economic uncertainty, some workers are less likely to tell others that they’ve been exposed in fear of losing their paycheck. The consequences of this has the potential to cause an outbreak, thus shutting down job sites.
Share quarantine procedures
- Before anyone is exposed at a jobsite, share safe quarantine procedures and protocols with workers
- Tell workers whether they have to stay home because they are sick, or because they’ve been exposed to COVID-19
Testing
- Familiarize yourself with the testing program and have the information of the locations on hand so you’re able to direct them to test as needed
Process to follow when a worker develops COVID-19 symptoms
When a worker reports they have symptoms or that they were exposed to COVID-19 off the job site
- Give them the information they need to get tested. Any symptomatic person should be assumed to be COVID-19 positive unless proven negative by testing.
- Worker immediately goes home and stays as isolated from household members as possible while awaiting results
- The point contract tracing staff member is informed, and notes who was exposed and on what date
If the individual tests POSITIVE:
- Identify those that were within 6 feet for 15 cumulative minutes in the past 2 days. Send them to get tested and to quarantine.
- Contact the CTC or your LBOH and have their names and contact info ready. Discuss the situation with CTC or LBOH to identify if additional people need to be tested.
- Employee who tested positive continues to quarantine until cleared by DPH
- Disinfect area in which they were working
- In addition to those that were identified as close contacts, identify any other workers that were working in the same room and share with the LBOH for guidance on next steps.
If the individual tests NEGATIVE:
- If the individual was identified as directly exposed to someone with COVID-19, even if the test result is negative, a quarantine period is highly recommended.
Ventilation
Poorly ventilated spaces lead to higher risk of transmission and increase risk, even when maintaining 6 feet of distance between people.
- Reduce the use of trailers and the number of people that use them
- Lunch: eat in your car (alone) or outside (socially distanced)
- Maintain as much ventilation at the construction site as possible
- Keep all windows and doors open unless it’s storming
Ventilation reduces spread both on the worksite and at home.
This is the year to be ready for the cold.
Workers should have or be provided the tools they need in order to not incentivize unsafe practices:
- Layered clothing
- Hand-warmers
- Heat can still be used with windows open, especially radiators